Awning structure



June 17, 1952 R. R. Ross 2,601,058

AWNING STRUCTURE Filed April 29, 1950 a-eoocac-cou-aao-uu-ua-aoo Zhwentor IF/n fuss,

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Patented June 17, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AWNING STRUCTURE Ray R. Ross, Reading, Ohio Application April 29, 1950, Serial No. 158,953

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an awning structure of great simplicity and umversality. Generally speaking, awnings are quite expensive and must generally be custom made to fit the particular window openings for which they are intended. For this reason many potential users do without awnings rather than go to the expense which is presently necessary.

It is the principal object of my invention to open up a large potential market for awnings by the provision of an awning structure which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which can be installed by the user himself.

It is another object of the invention to provide an awning structure which is substantially universal in that while it may be made in standard sizes it can accommodate window openings between standard sizes.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide an awning structure which is simple to erect and which is equally simple to take down for the winter period.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an arrangement whereby the awning can be raised to admit sunlight if desired, which arrangement will be extremely simple and substantially foolproof.

These and other objects of the invention which will be pointed out in more detail hereinafter or which will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specifications, I accomplish by that certain construction and arrangement of parts of which I shall now describe certain exemplary embodiments.

Reference is made to the drawings forming a part hereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective exploded view of a pair of awning brackets and a facing strut and the fastening elements therefor.

Figure '2 is an elevational view of the same. Figure 3 is a plan view of an awning cloth suitable for use with the structure of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 4- -4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an awning according to one embodiment of the invention in place on a building wall over a window.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line l-'| of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 7 showing how the cloth may be rolled around the supporting bracket for narrower window openings.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of one modification.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing another modification.

Figure 11 is an elevational View of a modified awning bracket.

Briefly, in the practice of my invention I provide two or more awning brackets as will be described in more detail hereinafter, which brackets are of extremely simple and inexpensive construction and which brackets have a portion arranged to be secured to a building wall and a portion extending away from said building wall at an angle. I provide an adjustable length strut member for connecting together the extended ends of the awning brackets, and I provided an awning member which in one embodiment may be of awning cloth having lateral hems which embrace the strut members and which cloth at its upper edge is secured to the building wall and at its lower edge is secured to the bracket members by the same means which secure the strut member thereto. In other embodiments I provide string urged awning brackets whereby the awning may be raised if desired, and I provide lateral flaps, and I provide for a metallic awning member, all as will be set forth in more detail herein-after.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, I have shown a pair of awning brackets at H), which brackets have a portion H arranged to be secured to a building wall and a portion 12 arranged to extend outwardly away from said building wall. The portion II is provided with a medial longitudinal slot l3 and the extended ends of the members l0 may be curved as indicated at M or they may have any desired configuration.

The members [0 may be secured to a building wall by meansof a pair of wing screws l5 which engage the slot 13 so that when the wing screws 15 are vertically aligned the member II will be vertically aligned, and thus the member l2 will extend from the wall in a substantially vertical plane.

In order to brace the structure I provide a strut comprising two "pieces "5 and H which are preferably provided with a number of holes as indicated at l8 and I9 whereby the length of the strut member may be adjusted. The pieces [6 and II are secured together by means of bolts 20 and nuts 2| in a position of adjustment to hold the members I2 in parallelism. The strut comprising the members It and I1 is secured to the members 12, as will be set forth hereinafter.

. In one embodiment the awning member itself is, as shown in Figure 3, constituted of a piece of suitable cloth, having a hemmed upper and lower edge as indicated at 22 and 23. The hemmed edge 22 is preferably provided with a number ofeyelets 24. The lateral edges of the awning cloth are hemmed as indicated at whereupon the awning cloth is secured to the building wall or window frames by means of suitable screws or the like engaging the eyelets 24 as indicated at 26 in Figure 6. The strut comprising the members IB and I! may then be put into position and bolted to the members l2 by means of the bolts 27 as shown in Figure 6. The bolts 21 will pass not only through holes in the portion [4 but also through holes punched in the awning cloth proper. From a consideration of Figure 6 it will be observed that the upper end 22 serves as a sort of flashing joining the awning cloth to the building wall.

While I have shown the lower edge of the awning as bent under it will be clear that it will just as readily be bent outwardly to form a gutter or it may terminate in a straight or any other desired configuration.

It is contemplated that the awning cloth could be provided in various standard widths spaced, say, six inches apart. Thus, if it is desired to protect a window having a Width between two standard sizes, the brackets l2 can simply be secured to the building wall in the desired spacing, and the awning material slipped onto the brackets 12 in the same manner as described above and then simply rolled at the edges as clearly shown in Figure 8. Then, when the strut, having been previously adjusted to the proper length, is secured as above described the fastening means 21 for the strut will pass through the various layers of the awning material and keep it from unwinding. An awning according to my invention can therefore serve for windows of any width with only acertain number of standard widths of awning cloth.

In Figure 9 I have shown a minor modification wherein instead of an awning cloth I have provided a sheet metal awning member 30 which will preferably be a thin gauge aluminum. The member 30 may be bent at its upper edge at 3| to provide the flashing, corresponding to the hem 22 of Figure 6, and it may be fastened to the members 12 by means of sheet metal screws or the like as at 32. While the strut I6, I! may be used it will be understood that the structure may be found sufficiently rigid without the strut, in which case the strut of course can be eliminated.

In Figure I have shown another minor modification wherein triangular side flaps are provided beyond the hems 25. These side flaps are indicated at 35. Along one edge they may be provided with eyelets 36 or the like for fastening to the building wall, as clearly shown in Figure 10.

It will be understood that if an awning of great width is desired the awning cloth may be provided with intermediate tubular portions shown in broken lines in Figure 3 at a. In such event in addition to the awning bracket 12 for each end of the awning there would be additional brackets equal to the number of tubular elements 25a. Such a structure would be very'desirable in connection with long awnings as used on store fronts or the like. I a

For such situations where it would be desirable to be able to raise the awning to admit the light, without having to take it down 01f the wall, I

have made the provision shown in Figure 11 where the portions Ila and [2a, corresponding to the portions l l and 12 of the remaining figures, are separate and are connected by a torsion spring 40 which tends to spread the members Ila and 12a apart. When it is desired to lower the awning to its position of utility, a cord or the like 4|, suitably secured to the building wall or window frame as at 42, can simply be pulled down and tied with the member |2a at the desired angle with respect to the building wall. When it is desired to raise the awning, the cord 4| may simply be untied or unhooked and the awning will return to the position of Figure 11.

It will be understood that while I have shown only a few exemplary embodiments many modifications will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art. It will therefore be clear that I do not intend to limit myself in any manner other than as set forth in the claims'which follow.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An awning structure for use on a building wall comprising at least two supporting members, each of said members having two portions extending at an angle to each other, means for securing one of said portions of each supporting member to a building wall with the second named portion of each extending from said wall in a plane substantially normal thereto, strut means connecting the extending ends of said supporting members, and an awning member comprising a piece of cloth having lateral hems to fit over said supporting members, means for securing said awning member to said supporting members, said means also connecting said strut means to said supporting members, and means for securing the upper edge of said cloth to said building wall.

2. An awning structure according to claim 1, wherein more than two supporting members are provided, and wherein, in addition to said lateral hems, an additional hem is provided for each supporting member over two, whereby said awning structure may be provided in any width desired.

3. An awning structure according to claim 1, wherein said two portions of each supporting member are connected by a spring having a tendency to force said portions apart, and wherein means are provided for holding them at a selected angle to each other.

4. An awning bracket for use on a building wall comprising two portions extending at an angle to each other, one of said portions having means whereby it may be secured to said wall in substantially vertical position, the other said portion extending outwardly from said wall, said portions being connected by a spring having a tendency to force said portions apart.

RAY R. ROSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 285,556 Bender" Sept. 25, 1883 611,872 Tabler Oct. 5, 1898 1,314,474 Jones Aug. 26, 1919 1,361,747 Dare Dec. 7, 1920 2,513,042 Muhn 'June 27, 1950 2,556,210 Obenchain ..June 12, 1951 

